MEBANE — When Western Alamance called a timeout in the final minute of Friday night’s football game at Eastern Alamance, there was more going on than trying to ice kicker Eric Fenton.

Western Alamance moved Britton Smith to the opposite end of the field-goal block alignment with about 45 seconds left.

The result was Smith’s full-extension block of the potential 37-yard game-tying kick that preserved Western Alamance’s 10-7 victory in a Mid-State 3-A Conference thriller.

“I don’t even know how to describe it. I was just trying to make sure I wasn’t offsides at first,” Smith said. “Once I got back there, it was all on.”

And once the ball ricocheted off Smith, the celebration was on for the Warriors (6-1 overall, 3-1 Mid-State 3-A Conference).

“We just wanted it. We wanted this bad, and we know they wanted it too, but all it came out to was who wanted it more and who executes it more,” said Western Alamance’s T.J. Harris. “I saw him coming through and I was like, ‘That’s it, he’s going to block it.’ “

Smith came off the left side of the line nearly untouched and went into a full dive for the block. Western Alamance coach Jeff Snuffer handed credit to linebackers coach Mitch Mitchener.

“That was Coach Mitchener … he oversees it and he made that adjustment right after we called that timeout,” Snuffer said. “Britton is really good at coming off the edge, so normally he does come on the other side.”

Smith’s game-saving play was a fitting end to what equated to a defensive slugfest.

Western Alamance was held to three points until its first offensive play of the fourth quarter. That’s when quarterback Trevion McCollum sprinted 57 yards down the home sideline to give the Warriors their first lead of the game.

It was part of a 103-yard rushing effort by McCollum. Paired with Donovan Apple’s 109 yards, the Western Alamance backfield ground out enough yardage to overcome a stingy Eastern Alamance defense.

“It was a crazy game, great atmosphere,” Apple said. “We came in here well-prepared and I just can’t be more proud of my teammates and we came out of here with a W.”

Eastern Alamance (5-3, 3-2) responded by driving to the Western Alamance 1-yard line, putting together a few of the gashing runs it used all night.

Then the Western Alamance defense created the biggest turning point of the game.

Blake Deatherage broke into the backfield and poked the ball loose from a handoff between quarterback John Lamot and running back Malcolm Summers. Deatherage pounced on the ball and pumped life into the visiting crowd.

“I think they blitzed the linebacker, I don’t know if he hit him at contact,” said Eastern Alamance coach John Kirby. “It was a good play by them, not such a good play by us. Goes to show nothing is a given. We didn’t capitalize.”

Page 2 of 2 - The Eagles seemed on track to take the lead or tie the game in the closing minutes, especially after Lamot converted a fourth-and-3 by running over a couple Warriors defenders.

But Western Alamance’s defense proved too stingy for the Eagles to break past the 15-yard line in the final minutes.

“It’s great, it feels so good. The past two weeks we’ve been working so hard, and hard work pays off,” said Harris, the defensive end who again showcased his knack for causing havoc for opposing offenses.

Eastern Alamance scored the game’s first points when Summers busted in a 14-yard touchdown halfway through the second quarter. That came a possession after he turned the ball over on a fumble.

Summers led all players with 121 rushing yards on 20 carries.

Western Alamance narrowed the gap with Josh Price’s 34-yard field goal with 25 seconds left before halftime.